Partners

Germany

German Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH)

BSH is a federal agency supervised by the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs (BMVBS). It is responsible for maritime spatial planning in the German EEZ and permit issuing for offshore wind parks, pipelines and other installations. BSH also conducts hydrographic surveys and environmental monitoring of the Baltic and North Sea.

In BaltSeaPlan BSH will take the role of a Lead Partner, which involves the co-ordination of common project activities, e.g. the transnational guidelines. The focus of BSH content work lays on Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) on the sea, and the integration of ecological and sea-use data. BSH will lead the D/PL/DK/SE pilot project in Pomeranian Bight.

World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF) Germany

WWF Germany, Baltic Sea Division is a branch of the large international NGO dedicated to the protection of endangered marine species, particularly the extremely endangered Baltic whale - the harbour porpoise – and the Baltic seals. WWF has a long year experience as an active stakeholder and contributor to MSP processes in Germany and internationally.

In BaltSeaPlan the WWF is going to contribute to the a pilot project Pomeranian Bight by guiding an intensive stakeholder participation processes with focus on fishermen. Moreover they will identify the most suitable sites for marine protected areas by the use of the IT tool MARXAN developed under the BALANCE project..

Ministry of Transport, Building and Regional Development Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

The spatial planning department of the Ministry of Transport, Building and Regional Development of the German Land Mecklenburg–Vorpommern is responsible for the spatial planning within the county of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern including the area including the area of the territorial sea (12 nautical miles seawards).

Within BaltSeaPlan the Ministry of Transport will prepare an update of their 2005 Spatial Development Programme for the 12 smz. As member of the BaltSeaPlan expert group they will share their unique experience in coastal and maritime spatial planninggained throughout the BaltCoast and PlanCoast projects.

Poland

Maritime Office in Szczecin

The main tasks of the Polish maritime administration are safety of navigation, coastal protection, management of ports, and co-decision making in spatial development of the coastal belt. Since 2003 their new responsibility is maritime spatial planning.

In BaltSeaPlan the Szczecin branch of the Maritime Office will provide a coherent GIS mapping of their territorial waters, which is a necessary prerequisite for the future maritime spatial planning and NATURA 2000 management planning. They will cooperate with their German, Swedish and Danish colleagues on the pilot project in the Pomeranian Bight.

Maritime Office in Gdynia

The Maritime Office in Gdynia already took part in the BaltCoast and PlanCoast projects and actively contributed to many other coastal and maritime planning initiatives in Poland and internationaly. In 2008 they prepared the first Polish maritime spatial plan for the Western Gulf of Gdańsk.

During BaltSeaPlan MO Gdynia will continue developing the Polish legal framework for MSP. They will also contribute to the common BSR spatial development vision and specific policy recommendations. Apart from that they will be supporting the pilot activities of Maritime Institute in Gdańsk, especially the SEA procedure for the maritime spatial plan of Western Gulf of Gdańsk,which will be continuation of work started under the PlanCoast project.

Maritime Institute in Gdańsk

Maritime Institute in Gdańsk is a R&D unit supervised by the Polish Ministry of Infrastructure with over 50 years of experience in consultations and service in the fields of hydrotechnics, engineering, operational oceanography, maritime law and economics as well as nature protection and monitoring.

Drawing from their large marine database, the MI will provide input to the BSR data-base of marine uses. Their main project activity will be the MSP demonstration project in the area of Middle Bank (PL/SE). MI Gdańsk will draw up the draft plan and carry out the stakeholder participation in cooperation with the Swedish partners. They are also planning to carry out the obligatory SEA procedure for the Western Gulf of Gdańskspatial plan.

Denmark

National Environmental Research Institute (NERI)

NERI is a scientific institute of University of Aarhus. Its task is to establish a scientific foundation for environmental policy decisions of the Danish government. They participated previously i.a. in the BALANCE project.

Within BaltSeaPlan NERI will mainly deal with effects of increased shipping volume. It will identify potential ecological hot spotsthat could be affected by deepening of the shipping lane T-route. Different scenarios will be analysed and suggestions for the best route made. Furthermore NERI experts will examine biological connectivity of the Western Baltic seabed. Scenarios of climate change and the impact on bottom water oxygen deficiency in the Belt Sea area and the western Baltic will be prepared. NERIs expertise in the field of marine research and modeling will be shared with other partners via workshops and publications.

Sweden

Royal Institute of Technology (KTH)

KTH accounts for 1/3 of Sweden’s technical research and education capacity, covering a broad spectrum: from natural sciences to architecture, industrial engineering and management, urban planning, work science and environmental engineering. Among many other initiatives, KTH has been leader of the Coastman project.

In BaltSeaPlan, KTH will contribute to the preparation of a transboundary maritime spatial plan for the Pomeranian Bight, with focus on shipping routes, offshore windfarms, nature protection and fishery. Their second pilot project is the Middle Bank area between Poland and Sweden, where they will mainly coordinate the stakeholder participation process.

Swedish Environmental Agency (SEPA)

SEPA is the Swedish agency for environmental protection and nature conservation as well as outdoor recreation and hunting issues. It presents proposals for environmental policy and legislation and ensures that they are implemented. Improving the quality of marine environment is one if its top priorities.

In BaltSeaPlan the SEPA is going to cooperate closely with the University of Gothenburg. Together they will contribute to two MSP pilot projects: Pomeranian Bight and Middle Bank. Being member of the Swedish Maritime Strategycommittee, SEPA will conduct an assessment of Swedish policies and experience in MSP, with focus on aspects of stakeholder participation and conflict management, and feed the results directly into the Strategy working group.

Estonia

Estonian Marine Institute of University of Tartu

Building on long year experience in marine research and modeling University of Tartu will contribute to all areas of BaltSeaPlan. They will participate in the expert group developing the adjusted MSP methodology for the case of Estonia, as well as conduct practical exercises on data harmonisation for the Estonian EEZ, and prepare risk maps on climate change for Pärnu Bay.

A pilot project conducted jointly by University of Tartu and the BEF Estonia will take place on the coast of Hiiumaa and Saaremaa islands. The integrated spatial plan of this area will include a.o. such uses as recreation, fishery, offshore wind energy, marine aggregates mining and sea transport.

Baltic Environmental Forum (BEF) Estonia

The Baltic Environmental Forum (BEF) group is a network of five non-governmental, non-profit organizations in Estonia, Latvia,Lithuania, Germany, and Russia, jointly engaged in environmental protection around the Baltic Sea. BEF takes an active part in formulation of environmental policies, raises environmental problems and suggests optimal solutions, such as projects, lobbying, guidance, public education and awareness rising. BEF has a large experience in the fields of biohazards control, climate change, biodiversity protection and development of its favorable conservation status, control of water resources, environmental management and advanced trainings.

The particular task of all BEF Estonia in BaltSeaPlan will be the provision of common methodology for nature protectionplanning/management as well as SEA at sea. BEF Estonia will moreover carry out the stakeholder participation for the pilot plans of Hiiumaa and Saaremaa islands and Pärnu Bay prepared by the University of Tartu.

Lithuania

Coastal Research and Planning Institute (CORPI)

CORPI is a research and education department within the Klaipeda University. With activity fields such as ICZM, MSP, EIA and risk assessment, geophysical and ecological investigations, ecosystem modeling and climate change prediction, CORPI is the main driving force for sustainable development of the coastal zone in Lithuania. CORPI experts also act as consultants for various environmental policies, feasibility studies and environmental infrastructure projects.

Within BaltSeaPlan CORPI will prepare new relevant GIS maps representing conflicts between environmental sensitivity and socio-economic interests in the Lithuanian EEZ. CORPI will moreover analyse the existing Lithuanian strategies relevant for marine areas, and produce as a result a proposal of integrated maritime strategy for Lithuania.

Baltic Environmental Forum (BEF) Lithuania

The Lithuanian branch of BEF is active in the protection of the Lithuanian coastal and marine nature. They are, a.o., authors of high-quality publications and video spots promoting public awareness of the Baltic environment.

In addition to the activities conducted jointly by all BEFs, the BEF Lithuania will organize regular consultations (hearings) with the concerned coastal and maritime stakeholders in Lithuania. Main aim of such consultations would be to assess the different versions of planned maritime strategies and visions. BEF Lithuania will also cooperate closely with CORPI as to provide input to the Lithuanian marine database and the proposal of the national maritime strategy.

Latvia

Baltic Environmental Forum (BEF) Latvia

In addition to the above described activities conducted jointly by all BEFs, BEF Latvia will be responsible for an MSP pilot project on the Western Coast of Latvia. It is an area including a.o. two proposed NATURA 2000 sites. This plan will be the first initiative of this kind in Latvia, where there is no legal background for MSP so far. On this basis, proposals of new legislation and a draft of maritime strategy will be made in close cooperation with the Latvian Ministry of Environment.

Another activity of BEF Latvia in BaltSeaPlan will be the identification of optimal locations for offshore windparks at the Western coast of Latvia, with respect to nature conservation interests.